Engine starter control switch



Dec. 5, 1950 TOTA 2,532,968

ENGINE STARTER CONTROL SWITCH Filed Sept. 20, 1946 IN VEN TOR.

WITNESS: I BY Patented Dec. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE-i ENGINE STARTER CONTROL SWITCH,

KcnnethP. Tota; Elmira, N.'Y., assignor-to'Ben- Aviation, Corporation, a; corporation of;

Delaware Application Septemb'er20, 1946; Serial No. 698,162

6 Claims. 1

The-present invention relates to'engine starter control switch and more particularly to a mechanlcal locking device for preventing closureof a starting switch when the engine is under. motion.

In thosetypes of engine starter gearing in which the gearing is normally'disconnected and is engaged in order to'perform the starting operation, it is undesirable that such engagement should take place when the engine is rotating for-- ward, since such engagement is noisy andtendsto mill off the ends of the gear-teeth;- Engagement while the engine is rotating backward for any reason has the further hazard thatit imposes: shock loads on the gearing which may be-destruc-- tive.

Various running functions ofthe engine have heretofore been utilized either singly or in combinationfor supplemental action to prevent such inopportune actuation of thestarting mechanism. Such indirect approaches to the problem have been considerably handicapped, however; by the timelagvnecessary for'thexrotation of. the engine to-produce the functions to an operative degree,

andibythe. complication necessary to provide such protection: during phases; of operation of the,

engines.

ltzislanlobjectcof;the present invention, to provld'erlaznovelrunitary.starter controlwhich is so.v

connectedjto theenginexas to be operated directly by motion ofsa moving; part thereof to thereby positivelypreventactuation of the starting mechanismiwhen the engine. is rotating.

It is another object to provide such a device; comprisinga latchingmechanism for preventing.

closureqofu the starting switch, which mechanism is rendered operativeby rotation of the; engine in;

either: direction.

Itis: another object. to provide such adevice whichis unaffected by. rotation ofthe engine after thestarting mechanism is energized, so as not'tointerruptthe cranking operation.

Further objectswand advantages will be appar-. ent from the following description taken in con--.

nectionv with; the accompanying drawing, in whiclrz;

l; isaa semi-diagrammatic illustration of'a preferred embodiment of the invention, theistarting; switch: and controlling mechanism being shown. elevation. partly broken: away and in.-

2-: Fig; 2isa= section taken substantiallyon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1', showing-the parts in the positions assumed when-the control 'member of the starting-switch engages the engine member dur ingclosing of the switch;

Fig. 3 is a view sim-ilar-to' Fig; z showing. the

parts in cranking position; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view showingthe parts in thepositions assumed when the starting switch is actuated while the engineisrotating.

In Fig. 1 of the: drawing, there is illustrated" a-starting system includinga battery-l grounded" at 2 and connected by a, lead-3' to acontact 4 of a magnetic starting switch indicated generally by numeral 5;

The starting switch 5 comprises a: magnetic-plunger 6- having a bridging contact 1 adapted to connect contact 4 to a; second stationary contact 8. Contact 8 is: connected by alead 9 to the starting motor SM which is grounded? at H to'complete the'starting circuit.

Switch plunger 6 is normally maintained inits. upper position as illustrated in Fig; l by means. of a spring l2, and -asolenoidl3 is provided for pulling the plunger down-soasto closethe starting-switchi Solenoid l3 is mounted in a cylindrical frame l4=providing a bearing l5 for the: switch plunger. One end. of the solenoid. l3 is connected through amanually operable switch:

I6 to the battery lead 3: and the opposite endis grounded as indicated at IT to complete the,

control circuit.

A control member l8 'ispivotally connectedito the lower end of the switch plunger 6 as by means-z ofa pin I9 traversing the'upper end of the control member and a bracketmember 2| fixed as indicated at 22 to the lower end of the. switch plunger; The pin 19 is arranged to slide inslots 23,124 in of thecontrol. member and plunger;

The lower end of: the.=-control=member-- ll: la provided with aeyieldingfielescopic portion: in-"the form of a block 3| of suitable material such as fiber slidably mounted in the lower end of the control member and retained therein by means of a rivet 32, traversing slots 33, 34 in the control member. A spring 35 is arranged to yieldably hold the block 3| in extended relation to the control member I8.

The starting switch assembly with the control member [8 projecting therefrom is mounted in any suitable manner adjacent any appropriate moving part 33 such as the flywheel of the engine to be started, in such a manner that the fiber block 3| will engage such part 36 when the switch plunger 6 is actuated by the solenoid !3, such engagement taking place substantially before closure of the starting switch as shown in Fig. 2. It will be understood that the part 36 may be any moving part of the engine itself, or

fiber block 3| on the engine part 36 without interrupting the cranking operation. When the engine starts, opening of the switch It by the operator allows the parts to return to their idle positions.

If, when the starting control switch It is closed,-

- the engine part 36 is rotating in either direction,

any part which is connected so as to move when member to swing laterally about the pivot pin l 9 a when the fiber block 3! engages the moving part. In order to prevent closure of the starting switch 5 when the engine is rotating, abutment means are provided for engaging aportion of the control member I 8 when it is deflected laterally from its normal rectilinear path by the engagement of the fiber block 3! with the moving engine part 3B. As best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, this abutment means is in the form of a pair of stop members 3?, 38 fixed as indicated at 39 and M to the bottom of the solenoid casing l4 and provided with seats 42 and 33 arranged to receive a pin G4 extending laterally from the control member It so as to arrest the movement of the control member and consequently of the switch plunger 6. The stop members 37, 38 are separated by a sufficient space 35 to permit the passageof the pin 63 when the control member I8 is maintained in alignment with the switch plunger 6 by the spring 29. If, however, the control member is diverted from its normal path by I the engagement of fiber block 3! with the engine part 38 when the latter is moving in either direction, the pin 44 will move laterally into one or the other of the seats 42, 33, depending on the direction of motion of the engine member, and thereby prevent closure of the starting switch.

The lower portions of the stop members 3'5, 38 are inclined as shown at 33 and i? so as to guide the pin 54 into the space 3'5 when the switch plunger 6 returns to its normal position after clo- 1 sure of the starting switch.

In operation, starting with the parts in idle position as shown in Fig. l, closure of control switch it by the operator energizes the solencid 13 which attracts the switch plunger 5 causing the plunger to move downward, projecting the control member l8 and causing the fiber block 3| to engage the engine part 33, as illustrated in Fig. 2. If the engine part is stationary at this time, the pin M passes through the space A 3 between theabutments 37, 38, such further movement of the control member 38 being permitted by theyielding telescopic movement of the fiber block 3| therein. When the bridging contact 7 engages the stationary contacts 6, 8, the starting motor SM is energized to crank the engine. The consequent rotation of the engine part 35 causes the control member 8 to be moved laterally into the position shown in Fig. 3, but such movementumerely relieves the pressure of the as soon as the fiber block 3! engages said engine part, the former will be immediately diverted from its rectilinear path so as to bring the pin is into position to engage one or the other of the seats 42, 43 of the abutments 37, 38. Further movement of the switch plunger 3 is thus prevented, and the starting switch is held open as shown in Fig. 4.

In some instances, it may be found desirable to provide means for delaying the longitudinal movement of the switch plunger 6 in order to insure ample time for actuation of the control member [8 by the engine member 35. As shown in Fig. 1, this may be accomplished by causing the bearing l5 and the core 48 of the solenoid i3 to cooperate with the switch plunger 6 to form a dash-pot. For this purpose, a cup valve member may be attached as illustrated to the switch plunger 3 and a bleeder opening 5! formed through the bearing IE to control the escape of air from the dash-pot.

, Although but one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that other embodiments are possible and various changes may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

,1. In an engine starter control switch, a switch element bodily movable to close the switch, a control member movable by said element into engagement with a moving part and arranged to be diverted by said engagement out of its normal path of movement, and an abutment for arresting the control member when so diverted to thereby prevent the switch element from closing the switch.

2. In an engine starter control switch, a bodily such engagement when said part is in motion,

and an abutment for arresting the movement of the member when so deflected to thereby prevent the movable element from closing the switch.

I 3. An engine starter control switch having an element movable to close and open the switch,.v

a control member connected to be moved by the switch element into engagement with a movable part prior to closure of the starting switch and having freedom for lateral deflection by such engagement if the part is in motion, said control member being constructed to yield and permit closure of the switch after such engagement, and.-

abutment means engaged by the control member when deflected by movement of said movable part, to thereby prevent the switch element from moving to closed position.

4. An'engine starter control switch as set forth in claim 3, including further yielding means normally holding the control member in undeflected relation to the switch element.

5. An engine starter control switch having .amovable element, a control member pivotally connected to the switch element and movablelinearly by closure thereof into engagement with a movable part, said control member being movable laterally by such engagement when said part is in motion, and an abutment means engaged by said control member when so moved laterally, to

arrest its forward motion, and thereby prevent closure of the switch.

KENNETH P. TOTA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1-3 Number Name Date 1,455,697 Yonge May 15, 1923 1,563,527 Ross Dec. 1, 1925 1,603,766 Hajek Oct. 19, 1926 1,841,684 Smith Jan. 19, 1932 2,474,487 Miller June 28, 1949 

